Alachua County 3rd-graders about average on FCAT

The results show that in both reading and math, 57 percent of Alachua County third-graders scored a Level 3 or above on a scale that has five levels.

By Joey FlechasStaff writer

Amid issues that include a harder FCAT, changes to the grading scale and uncertainty about interpreting the results, Alachua County third-graders performed at about the state average on the reading and math FCAT tests, according to results released Thursday.About 19 percent of local third-graders did not pass the reading test. By comparison, about 18 percent of Alachua County third-graders did not pass the reading test last year.The state Department of Education revealed FCAT reading and math scores, along with the results from the first statewide biology and geometry tests given to high school students.The results show that in both reading and math, 57 percent of Alachua County third-graders scored a level 3 or above on a scale that has five levels. That's slightly above the state average of 56 percent. The state considers students at grade level if they score a 3 or above.The numbers show that 19 percent of third-graders — about 380 students — scored level 1 on the reading test. Under state statute, those students are required to be held back unless they qualify for a state-approved exemption, which can include English language learners and students with disabilities.They also can be promoted if they show proficiency by taking an alternate test or if they show a portfolio of their work during the school year or from summer reading camps. "We'll provide them opportunities for summer instruction and give them every opportunity to be promoted," said Alachua County Superintendent Dan Boyd.Historically, the majority of students in this situation do move on to the fourth grade through these means, according to Jackie Johnson, spokeswoman for Alachua County Public Schools.Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson said the success of third-grade students depends on mastering reading skills."Today's results help us determine how and where we should focus our resources so students who are struggling with reading get the extra help they need to succeed," he said.A comparison of this year's numbers to last year's results show dramatic decreases across the district, but officials are quick to warn parents that changes to the tests, scoring and passing scores make any comparisons muddy.Sandy Hollinger, deputy superintendent for instruction and student services, said the district will look at students' scores carefully before deciding what comes next."Of course, the FCAT is very much a moving target this year, so interpreting the scores will be more of a challenge," she said in a press release.Boyd said the test has undergone so many changes, the results are increasingly difficult to interpret."We don't know what FCAT means anymore in Florida," he said.Johnson said due to changes to the reading test's difficulty and the grading scale, the district has been telling parents they should reach out to teachers if they have concerns about results once they receive them."Talk to your child's teachers," she said. "That's the best thing to do."Local high school students performed well in geometry and biology, with 51 percent scoring in the upper third category on the geometry test, compared to the state average of 34 percent. In biology, 43 percent scored in the upper third compared to 35 percent across the state.